Bittersweet Cacophony
by Ella Renee
Summary: Its hermiones sixth year and she find herself falling for the worst person possible. Now all she has to do is keep it a secret...if he can.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: sadly i do not own the wondeful characters created by ms. rowling. if i did this is how their lives would turn out. **

Hermione sat in the prefects compartment on the train. She was about 20 minutes early. She hadn't stayed with Ron that summer due to her unexpected vacation to France. her parents wanted to get a little R& R in with her before she headed off to school again. But back to the compartment, She stared out the window before looking at her watch. 10:50.  
"Great. ten more minutes and knowing them, they'll be late. again." she said dully out loud.  
"Waiting for your precious Weasle and Potty" an annoyingly familiar voice said. Her head snapped towards the voice.  
"Malfoy" she replied. He half smirked before sitting down across from her.  
"it's okay. I know how much you love them"  
"Malfoy, i am not in the mood" Her eyes told him to shut up but he just kept running his mouth  
"Oh did someone hurt the itty bitty mudblood?" She stood up in defense ready to hit him if she had to. He just smirked and stood up at about a good half a foot taller than her too.

"Shut up puh-lease" She said  
"Fine. Just teasing you "he muttered.  
"Thats the thing. you don't tease and I don't like you so why do we sit quietly, not talking for " she looked at her watch " 3 minutes and then we can go our separate ways after they give us our assignments."  
Malfoy held his hads up in a 'don't shoot' fashion.  
"Fine."

Slowly new prefects as well as old took their place in the compartment, reluctantly leaving their friends to be there. The head boy and girl were announced of course, and they had the privilege of giving out the assignments for the night patrol. Hermione smiled when they were finally told they could leave. ( i know i know, wheres ron? lets just say because of his in abilities to coperate as a good prefect, i.e. not assuming his responsibilties, he "resigned")

She made her way down the long train, head snapping back and forth looking for her friends. Finally she sighted them and opened the compartment door.  
"Hermione! " Harry and Ron jumped up.  
" Hi you guys" she said laughing at their enthusiasm to say hi to her.  
"hi you guys" someone mocked behind her. She spun around.  
"Malfoy, give it a rest for five minutes please" she spat  
"Why should i when it annoys you so very much. JUst thought I'd you know, check in with the wonderful trio of morons."  
"Malfoy leave" Harry stepped in front of Hermione, "leave or you are really going to regret it" with that harry raised his wand.  
Malfoy smirked pulling his own out.  
"Oh is little potty sad his mutt of a godfather is gone?"  
Harry opened his mouth and then …….He pushed Malfoy out of the room and them slammed the compartment door.  
"Colloportus" he muttered sealing the door. Draco banged on it with his fist. Harry sat down. The three of them grinned and then turned to Draco and waved. HE yelled something but it couldnt surpass the door.  
"well thats a way to stop him " ron said "We'll have to remember that"

The boys conjured a chess set and Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled out a new school book, (So you want to study more about ANcient Runes) and began reading. Soon the food trolley came by and harry bought them all assorted snacks. It wasnt long before they were at the shool. (sorry rushed it along a bit. ) Clambering off the train the trio ran into, yet again, Draco Malfoy, By the time he opened his mouth Hermione had pulled out her wand and said "Silencio" then smiled and the trio walked away laughing. they found themselves a carriage and climbed inside.

"So where were you this morning?" Harry asked suddenly remembering that she didn't come and tell them where she was.  
"Oh i got there a half hour early so i just went to the prefects compartment. And guess who showed up?"  
"Malfoy " Ron and Harry replied in unison.  
"Yeah and he was a complete jerk like always but then he told me he was teasing me which was totally weird but i think he meant viscious and couldnt figure out the word. You know what they say about blondes." they all laughed.  
"So what did you guys do this summer."  
Harry looked at the floor "Cleaned out Sirius's house"

"Oh" Hermione bit her lip. "Oh! Look we're at the school" She unlatched the carriage door and jumped out. Ron and Hary followed and the three walked up to te school together. They chatted about nothing in paticular and made their way into the great hall. Sitting down Ron said  
"gosh look at how tiny the first years are. Can you believe we were that small once?"  
"well Ron you were never that small but Herm and I were" Harry grinned again.  
"Hey isn't Lavender's brother coming this year" Hermione asked searching the scared looking faces.  
"Yeah I think so" Harry said. He turned to look too and his eyes landed on Draco who had drawn a picture and was holding it up. Hermione looked at Harry and then followed his gaze. The picture depicted the giant arc and a person being hit by a spell and into it.  
"How does he know what happened?" Harry spat angrily  
"his dad was there. He probably told him" Ron answered. Hermione stood up and went around the Slytherin table. The boys watche din awe as Hermione went over to Draco. Draco smirked at the kids at his table and then turned to Hermione. She whacked him in the side of the head, obviously yelling at him and then took the picture from him. Draco's jaw had dropped and Hermione had taken advantage of that by ripping the paper up and showing it in his mouth. She turned to leave and Pansy stood up infront of her. HArry and Ron distinctly heard Hermione tell her " MOve your stupid pug face out of my way" Anticipating something was about to happen the boys stood up adn headed over to the table, about ahlf way there they hear a noise that sounded like hand making contact with a wooden board. Pansy had her hand on her jaw to see that she was bleeding and then punched Hermione back and in seconds a full on cat fight occured. Within seconds the whole school was in a circle around the two girls watching. Harry and Ron fought their way threw the crowd.  
"Should we stop her" Ron asked  
" Give her a second" Harry said watching the teachers who suprisingly didnt realize what was going on. When they did , the teachers got wide eyed and hurried over.  
"Now we stop her " Harry said motioning toward the teachers. They rushed in and HArry grabbed Hermione around the waist pulling her off PAnsy, who jumped up. Ron grabbed her around the waist while making face.  
"LET ME GO HARRY, I WANT TO BEAT HER..." At this point a stream of swears that hardly anyone knew spewed from her mouth.  
"SHES JUST MAD BECAUSE SHES A STUPID MUDBLOOD THAT HAS TO USE MAGIC TO HURT OTHER PEOPLE" Pansy screamed  
"I'M GOING TO MAGICALLY CONNECT MY FIST WITH YOUR HEAD AGAIN " Hermione tried to push away from Harry but he held tight.  
"haha ha you aren't going anywhere" HArry said.

"maybe you should control your girlfriend" Malfoy surfaced from the crowd and grabbed Pansy's arm pulling her over to her. Ron was more than happy to oblige.  
"Malfoy shut your face" HArry retorted but Malfoy continued  
"You know she could probably get at least a suspension for assault"  
"Malfoy your just mad because your girlfriend was beat up by a muggleborn and not only that the top student in the school so you can just leave"  
"At least I'm not always saving the damn mudblood's life all the time even when its figurativly speaking, like now you had to pull her off of Pansy so that she didn't get in that much trouble. Quite a long way to go for someone that filthy" Malfoy spat.  
"You..." HArry let go of Hermione and jumped on Draco. then at once the second fight for the night had occured. Pansy had somehow managed to make it next to Hermione and whisper in her ear  
"Just think if Draco manages to break his neck, no more Potter to save you all." Hermione answered her with a punch to the face. Finally the teachers managed to make it throught the crowd pulling the four students off each other. While they were being hauled off each screaming at the opponent the other teachers broke up the crowd. Ron took his place at the table very wide eyed about the events. He smiled to himself and listened to the conversations surrounding him.  
"...Did you hear what they said..."  
"...It was over a boy..."  
"no...Hermione just went nuts and randomly attacked her..."  
Ron laughed at the inaccuraties(thats probably nto a real word but it sounded cool lol i dont feel like changing it) . Ginny grinned at him.

**Mcgongall's office**

"I am so disappointed in you two...especially in you Miss Granger. What were you thinking?"

"We were provoked Prof. Mcgongall" Harry started.

"I don't care. Never in my years...THREE fights in one night and before the sorting. Hermione I am absolutely speechless, I at least can expect Potter to do something like this (at that moment harry said "HEY!" ) but you..." She shook her head " I'm suspending you as a prefect, you set a very bad example of our school to night as well as that you both get a month and a half of detentions as well as apologize to Miss Parkinson and Mr. MAlfoy"

"Prof.! " Hermione exclaimed

"No Hermione I don't want to hear"

"Well I want you to " Hermione said fiercly. Harry's eyes got round and he somewhat jumped back. Hermione stood up . "Prof. I am so sick of their crap. I am tried of all those stupid Slytheirns calling me a mudblood" HArry nodded to show that he thought this was a reasonable reason to beat someone up. Hermione continued "And I am not apologizing to either of them. And you just sit there like i attacked her for no reason. No i had a reason. You know what she said to me the second time i got her i think it was along the lines of 'Just think, If Draco manages to break his neck no more Potter to save you all. ' Good night Prof." HErmione turned on her heel and marche dout the door slamming it behind her. Prof. McGongall looked at Harry and he shrugged "Shes got spunk?" The Prof. didn't say anything and motioned toward the door, Mcgongall nooded and Harry hurried out of the room.

He caught up with Hermione not long after.

"what is going on with you?" he asked getting in front of her and walking backwards.  
"you heard what I siad" she muttered "I'm sick of them"  
"I don't think that's all Hermione" He said stopping. She stopped to staring at the floor.  
"Hey" He lifted her chin to look into her eyes Tears had stained her face. "Whats wrong" he asked.  
"nothing " she replied miserably.  
"That's really how it looks" He smiled  
"your so dumb" she said her lip trembling. "I'm just…I don't know. I'm so worried" she said tears escaped and streamed down her face.  
"about what? Voldemort's back but that's not all that much to worry about."  
"That's what I'm worried about! Your so carefree about it and you could easily die and you act like there's nothing wrong when there is. I'm sorry to say this Harry but you cant go on pretending nothings happened and Sirius hasn't died."  
Harry frowned in reply and dropped the subject entirely.  
"Well I guess we should get going to the common room then" HE started off down the hallway. When he realized Hermione wasn't following he called "Are you coming"  
"I think I'm going to go to the Library" she replied. Harry rolled his eyes and Hermione turned to go down the appropriate hallway. She opened the big oak doors that were her comfort. When inside she went to a shelf she visited often and pulled a book off the shelf taking it to a cozy seat and opening it delicately. Slowly the candles grew smaller and the light dimmer but that didn't stop her from reading. Just for a second she was safe and just for a second she closed her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

"Figures you're here Granger, can't spend two minutes away from a book." Hermione's eyes snapped open. A bright ray of sunlight filled the room and she looked around. Draco was standing near a book shelf looking at something.  
" I was studying " she yawned.  
"I can tell" Malfoy replied "Figures you have to be better than everyone else.  
"Shut up Malfoy" she shot "Don't you have class or something?"  
"No besides its only 7. And not only that but because of you saint I'm suspended as a prefect and I have a month and a half worth detention. "  
"Join the club" Hermione said bitterly.  
Draco laughed "YOU were suspended as a prefect? And I thought I'd never see the day when you got in that much trouble. Seems like your luck is running out."  
She ignored his comment and closed her book. Finally after he sat for ten minutes waiting for a comment she walked over to the book shelf put her book up and then turned to him. She was so close to him that she could feel him breathing. She cocked her head to the side and whispered " if my luck is running out, I wouldn't have been able to knock out your girlfriends teeth" With that she turned and walked away leaving him speechless.

Instead of going to the common room Hermione decided to just head down to the Great Hall. She knew the boys would be there and Ron would have her schedule since he was the only one out of the three not in trouble.  
He smiled when he saw her  
"There's our juvenile delinquent" he said cheerfully. Hermione raise and eyebrow at him and then sat down. While helping herself to some toast she looked over at the Slytheirn table happy to see Pansy was sporting two black eyes and a fat lip. Hermione herself only had a bruise or two and a cut lip from the nights events. The three students chatted about schedules and classes and who the new defense against the dark arts teacher was but incidentally in the confusion Professor Dumbledore had forgotten to mention the new teachers , either that or he thought the first years, who had been traumatized enough just needed to get the sorting done and go to their common room.

"so" Ron said pushing his plate aside and leaning in "where were you last night? Late night rendezvous I suppose?"

Hermione also leaned in "I was with a boy and he was telling me of his adventures. "  
"And who is this boy?" Ron asked. Harry stopped eating to listen.  
"Huck…" she replied  
"Huck who?"  
Slowly she said his name in a velvet voice, "Huckleberry Fin"  
Harry snorted.  
"Huckleberry Fin, who the bloody hell is that ?" Ron ask sitting up straight  
"1900's story by the writer Mark Twain" Harry replied taking a bite of food  
"I don't get it " Ron said  
"she was in the library, r e a d I n g" Harry sipped his juice  
Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes.

"well i figured that Harry, but whos Huckleberry Fin?" Ron replied

"Just forget it Ron" Hermione said taking a bite of food. "So what do we have first?"

"Double Potion" Harry scowled and stabbed his omlete.  
"It really isnt that bad" Hermione said eyeing the omlete which was now oozing cheese.  
"Yeah isnt that bad when Snape doesnt completely loath you" Harry replied  
"oh is poor Potter sad that he has to go to potions" a voice hissed at him.  
"Draco go away "Harry spat.  
"So did you guys hear Granger was suspended as a prefect" Draco announced to his friends loudly. Pansy started cackling and Crabbe grunted. Hermione stood up.  
"I think you did too Malfoy and I think that Prof Mcgongall also said that you had to do a good amount of detentions with your favorite person, me" Hermione grinned.

"She never said that " Draco snarled.  
"Sure. We'll see you later" Hermione smiled and summoned her friends and they left Draco looking quite dumbfounded.

The three students made their way quickly to Potions grabbing three seats in the back. The magically bell rang and the excited chatter dispersed. Snape came in slamming the door behind him.  
"Ah Potter, Granger and Weasley you three will not be sitting together this year. we dont want any repeats of last year. Potter you sit next to Ms. Patil, Weasley you next to Dean and Granger you next to..." his eyes scanned the room for a open seat that wasnt near the other two "Draco". MAlfoy turned towards his friends and made a gagging mothion. There was a light snicker and Malfoy smirked turning towards Hermione. She smiled sweetly and slammed the book she was caring down on his hand. She gave him a look of shock and then sat down grinning.  
While Snape talked Hermione absent mindly read some pages in the book.

"Miss Granger I'm talking to you!" Snape snapped at her.

"Huh" she replied looking up.

"If you arent going to pay attention get out." there was a collective gasp from the class as Hermione got up and left. The onlytime she had ever walked out on a teacher was Divination. Hermiones footsteps echoed as she walked down the empty stone hallway. She opened the door to the library and stepped inside.

"No students during class" a voice rang in her ears. She rolled her eyes adn turned and left.

Heading to the common room Hermione paused at the set of stairs to her right. She had never noticed them before regardless of walking past here everyday. Well you know what they say  
Curiosity killed the cat...  
Hermione looked around and darted up the stairs.  
...Satisfaction brought it back.

There was a door at the top of the stairs a muffled noise like someone talking softly. She knocked on the door . no one answered but the muffled noise continued. She turned the knob and it gave a satisfying click. She pushed the door lightly and it swung open when she saw what was inside she screamed and didn't stop screaming.

She screamed relentlessly. Someone was leaning over her, shoving her. Hermione was laying in the middle of the corridor with no stairs insight a nice big group of kids standing around her.

"great another reason for everyone to think I've gone nuts" she muttered under her breath. She took the hand of the person next to her and they helped her up. She muttered her thanks and took off like her feet were on fire.

"Hermione wait up" a voice called. She shook her head and kept running. the person grabbed her around the waist and stopped her. She turned in their arms to see it was Harry. Her face strain and she broke down in his arms. He didn't talk he just held her.

Hermione didn't tell him what happened nor anyone else. She stayed quite and kept to herself for a few weeks before getting back to her normalness. She took her seat in potions next to Draco. He didn't talk to her and she ignored him.

"today you will be working in pairs." Snape announced. He counted how many students and paired them by table.

Hermione sat quietly and did her work. Draco watched absentmidnly and she turned and looked at him .

"Are you going to help?" she asked

"You seem to be doing just fine" he replied

She made a noise of annoyence and finished the potion they were supposed to be doing. Professor Snape came to their table.

"Well done Mr. Malfoy...and Miss Granger" he added her name with an ounce of disgust.

The magical bell rang and Hermione loaded her stuff in her bag and swung it over her shoulder. Harry and Ron waited for her at the door and she trotted off with them leaving Draco to clean up the mess.


End file.
